Automatic composing typewriter



y 1945- B. E. REYNOLDS 2,375,135

AUTOMATIC COMPOSING TYPEWRITER Filed March 20, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 May 1, 1945. B. E. REYNOLDS AUTOMATIC COMPOSING TYPEWRITER Filed March 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3,

E E a EYRUN E. REYNULDS eon N vonJ Jam B. E. REYNoLDs AUTOMATIC COMPOSING TYPEWRITER May 1, 1945.

Filed March 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 "EJYRE IN EREYNU DE 7 y 1945- B. E. REYNOLDS 2,375,135

AUTOMATIC COMPOSING TYPEWRITER Filed March 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 g .o I l a N Iv 8 a Q R 3 EYREIN EQFEYNULDS Patented May 1, 1945 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC COMPGSING TYPEWRITER Byron E. Reynolds, Jackson, Mich.

Application March 20, 1941, Serial No. 384,278

4 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus used to compose and to prove successive single lines of type characters, in its preferred form the invention being adapted to justified types of various widths.

The apparatus of the present invention has for its purpose to provide proofs upon suitable material of single lines of justified printing types successively. My primary aim has been to provide a machine for rapidly and economically transferring directly or by offset inked impressions of successive single lines of types to paper for reproduction purposes and transferring by offset inked impressions of lines of types to lithograp plates. Generally, I wish to include any and all purposes in which types are temporarily assembled in line to produce characters upon any material whatever.

The secondary purpose of the machine is to provide a method of photo-composition by use of the above method with contrasting colored letters replacing the printing types and a suitable camera replacing the proving apparatus.

Thus, the primaryobject of the present invention is to provide apparatus for composin and proving successive single lines of type characters of various fixed widths.

[Another object is to provide an apparatu for composing and proving successive single lines of justified types of various widths in which the justifying of the lines is determined in advance of the composing of the lines.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for composing and proving single lines of justified types in which the justifying of the lines is inherent in the composing of the lines.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for composing and proving single lines of justified types in which each line is composedas a unit, in contrast to being composed a character at a time.

Another object is to provide apparatus for simultaneously collecting and moving composite type and space bars to form a justified single line of type characters through the control of a preformed control element.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention residing in the combination, arrangement and construction of the parts of the apparatus will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following detailed description and annexed claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of the control tape,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l of the control tape with specific spacing perforations indicated, Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the mechanism for moving the control tape to the composing machine,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic lay-out of a selector mechanism for the type bars of the composing machine,

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a selector and drive mechanism for the type bars, I

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VI--VI of Fig. 5, of the selector elements for the typebars,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a group of the type bars, showing their operating linkage,

Fig? 9 is an enlarged view of the type bars, shown in Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of the inner end of one of the type bars,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing the type bars shifted to compose a line,

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on line XII-XII of Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line XIII XIII of Fig. 11, showing the type bar clamping mechanism,

Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmentary side elevational views partly shown in broken section of the composing and proving units,

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the composingand proving units,

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic representation of the principal operating structure of the composing and proving units,

Fig. 18 is a modified form of the invention showing arrangement for offset proving, and

Fig. 19 is a modified form of the invention showing an adaptation for photocomposition,

Fig. 20 is a projection of the modified form showing arrangement for offset proving of Fi 18.

The mechanism for preparing the copy may take any suitable form which will permit the 7 copy to be used for the simultaneous reproduction of all characters and spaces in any given line and preferably so arranged as to allot the spaces for justifying the line. The function of this mechanism is to fabricate the control copy,

which in the illustrated form appears as a series ing be done in this copy form and allcorrection'" lines inserted in the control tracks where desired. The symbols suggested are the well known perforation type of kind, similar to that now usedby the trade. The symbols, however, may be other than of perforations, such as a control line to be read by an electric eye or an embossed line of raised symbols. The perforations may be converted" into" electrical impulses by any desired method; such as compressed air or partial vacuum; feelers to pick out the pattern, similar to' the one" used for the teletypesetter, being suggested. It is further anticipated that the control copy" may be prepared by remote control through a sending station and a perforation station.

Type bar selection mechanism The'tape 26 is a complete control record for composingsingle linesof justified types of various fixed widths after it has passed thewordspace perforator. It may be stored for future use orthet'ap'e' ZB'may directly pass to the composing mechanism.

For" its' component parts, the composing mechanism comprises feed rollers 214 and. 216' of Fig. 3 which may he intermittently driven by any'suitable mechanism of well known constructionfor drawing the tape 26 with a measured step-by-step movement with reference to guide perforations 6'9 through the composing mechanism. The illustrated structure for operating the feed roller 214 and 216 comprises supporting arms 2'l'land 2T3 pivoted on. the shafts 28l and 283. A spring. 285 holds the arm 2'" against the stop 28'! while the spring 2'98'holds the rollers 274 and ZTB in driving relation with the tape 20.. Fixed to the roller 214' isa .V-pulley 29l over of each type bar.

selectively closed to energize the solenoids 290 to rock the bell cranks 292 axially shifting the permutation bars 234.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 5, the permutation bars 294 have notches 296 along their lower edges. A group of seven permutation bars 294 in the illustrated embodiment in Figs. 14 and 15 is provided for the selective positioning The bars 294 are relatively thin and juxtapositioned as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. Depending upon the perforations of the tape 26, the selective shifting of the bars 294 will result in a single transverse alignment of a I notch 296 in each of the seven bars 294. This provides a single master notch into which the stop pin 29'! carried upon the type bar positioning'slide 3130 will be projected'by the spring 302 to locate the position of the type bar 304 connected to the link 300 through the hinge link 306 (see Fig. 8). This hinge link is so constructed as to permit slight longitudinal move- 'ment of bars 304 without strain on pin 29'! during alignment. Such longitudinal movement may be provided by dividing lost motion between the members 300 and 306. One simple arrangement is to employ an enlarged hole in the memher 306 in which the. pin 3il5'is'received. In Fig; 6 the bars 294 are shown in section at a non-selected point while in Fig. 7, the section is taken at the selected point showing the notches 296 all aligned. In Fig. 5'the supporting frame 308, inwhich the bars294 are supported and guided by the. transverse rods 310 and 312, is'show'n elevated'by the cams 3l4 on P cross'sha'fts 315 to enable the stop pin 2'91 tobe back and forth as illustrated comprising a pair of soft rubber rollsi3l 8" and 320 'in driving contact with each other. Spaced main drive rollers 322 through contact with the roller 328 drives the same counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 5 and 14,

while'the rol1er'320inturn drives the roller 318' feelers 282 are withdrawn and held out-of operation through the bodily movement of the feeler carrier 284-to the dotted-line positio by suitable mechanism including solenoid 458. When the carrier 284- is advanced to the position shown in'Fig. 4;certain of the. feelers 282 will pass through perforations-in the tape 26 to engage the electrical contactors 286 insulated in theblock 280. In-this manner the circuits 288-are clockwise. Therollers 3l8-and320 are supported in a cradle 324' pivoted on the axle 326 of the roller 322. Solenoids 323' and 330' function to rock the cradle 324 to selectively. bring the rollers 318 and 320' into shifting-engagement with-the upper surface of the positioning slide3ii6 of the type bar 304.

Asmore clearly shown in Fig.9, the type bars 304 are'taperedfrom one end to. the otherwith adjacent bars taperedin opposite directions and move in from opposite sides to compose the line of type characters. This arrangement results-in characters of every other type bar SM'beingF reversed withrespect to the intermediate bar 304 so that the characters will-allface the same direction. The taper of the bar 304nisto make possible the assigning of suchnarrow characters as i, l, to the narrow end and wider characters such-asW,LM, to the wider end as shown-in accompanying Table I. The spaces 332 are provided at spacedpoints along eachtype bar 304. Because of the taper of the type bar 304,- the Width of each word spacer 332- alongthe bar may progressively vary from one end of the bar to the other. In practice a variationof .018 inwidth between adjacent word spaces'is practical'and mayibe considered as presenting a unit of spacing. With this arrangement the-narrowestspace located most adjacent the narrow end of thetype:

Table I Below are characters which appear on the composite type bar with their position numbers, widths in inches, and perforation patterns.

Width in inches Perforax Position number character nous No pattern a .054% b ab .056% c .058 ac bc abc d .063 ad bd abd cd acd bcd abcd lspace 2apostrophe 3quote 4-i 8colon 9-semico1on l-hyphen llhyphen Additional perforation patterns which can be used for control purposes correspond to the following position numbers: 91, abde 92, adeg; 93, acdeg; 94, bcdeg; 95, abcdeg.

In the illustrated form of the invention the characters of the type bars 30 3, generally designated in thedrawings by reference character 33B, are on the lower edge of the type bar 304 (see Fig. 10) with supporting pads 338 being provided at opposite ends of each type bar to slightly support the characters above the table 36 5 upon which the type bar slides back and forth. Along the upper edge of each type bar 305 are aligning V-shaped grooves 342 with which an aligning bar 34 5 coacts having a corresponding V-shaped lower edge 3%.

As best shown in Fig. 11, a fixed side bar 358 is provided along the left side of the table 348 with the vertical side 358 corresponding to the left edge of the printed column. This vertical side functions as one side of a vise in which the selected type bars 364 are clamped by the clamp member 352 at the time the proof of'the justified line is taken. When in a withdrawn position,

with the slide 360 against the stop Sit, the inner ends 354 of the type bar 364 have tongue portions 356 which overlap. This arrangement enables the upper and lower fork arms 358 and 360 of the clamp 352 to pass above and below the tongues 356 of the inactive type bar 304, to clamp the active bars 334. As shown in Fig. 20, the arm 358 is provided With a V-shaped groove 362 so as to give clearance to the aligning'bar 344. A strong spring 364 acting upon the pivoted arm 368 connected at 310 to the clamp 352 urges the latter to the left. An adjustable stop 372 limits the movement of the clamp 352 toward the guide 348.

It is notable that successive lines may be selected, justified, aligned, planed, locked and proved in whole or in part by manual operation of portions of the assemblies herein described.

Such manual operations are considered novel and useful as applications of the method and combinations of processe described. A cam 374 on.

the drive shaft 316 functions to retract the clamp 352 while the type bars 304 are being shifted.

The mechanism for actuating the aligning bar 344 of Figs. 12, 13, and 15 in timed relation With the clamp 352 comprises a bar 386 guided for horizontal movement only and having an elongated slot 382 at one end in which a pin 384 operates, carried by an extension 386 of the arm 368. With the clamp 352 withdrawn by the cam 3 74, the pin 3% has engaged the right end of the slot 382 as viewed-in Fig. 13, moving the bar 386 to the right from the position shown to permit the spring 388 to raise the bar 344 to clear the notches 342 in the type bars 304. When the arm 368 starts its counterclockwise movement to move the clamp 352 against the type bars 304, the bar 38!] is urged to the left in advance of the clamping action of the spring 398 with the inclined surfaces 392 Sliding over complementary surfaces 394 on the aligning bars 344, lowering the bar 354 into the notches 342 to align and plane the type bars 3114 prior to locking. With the type bars 304 aligned, planed and locked horizontally and vertically, a proof of a fully justified line is taken upon the tape 39B brought into engagement with the face of the characters 336 by the platen 398 of Figs. 13 and 15 carried upon the rocker arm 400, operating off the earn 374. A suitable inked ribbon 402 is traversed across the line of type in any Well known manner. The tape 395 may be moved with astep by step movem'ent. through the mechanism by any oneof severa-l welkknown devices; and: brackets not shown',

eaclrcycleof operations In Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic: lay out of: the principal operating; parts of the: composing: and proving apparatus. inlwhich conductors 404' and 403-1 provide a source. of: electrical:power to which the: main'm'otor. 4D8- is.cormected through ama-n ually. thrown switch. 0.. Through: suitable reduction gearing 4I2-, theimotorzwh'drives theacam shaft 4 I '4 carrying .cams 416; 41 8; 420.1422; 424vand 426 of the-proper contourrfor operating inati-ined relation the electrical switches 428; 430; 432,434} 436 and .438. The switchesa42B Eand.430 are located inthecircuitsflfl; andz442 includingthe solenoids 328 and 330 which functionto controlthecdirection of. rotation-of the rollers? 18' and 3-20; driven by the main drive. rollers. 322 upon thei hafts 326. Theshafts .3263 are driven: in ODDOSltBLdlIEC- tionsby the shaft 444-through beveledgears 446; the shaft 444. being. driven. by; the: motorz4d8 through suitable.-gearing.448;

The. switch 432. controls the'-motor- 449 in th circuit45ll, driving the crossshaftsfilb; carrying the cams 3.! 4, which. control .the up I and down movement of theframe 308; shown .inLFrig. .5; The motor 449 has abuilt-in brake'ofr well. known construction so. as. to limit theover: run 'toa. minimum when the motor circuit is closedandithen opened,- thus controlling the position of the. pro.- jection 451 of. the cams 3l4;

Switch 436 controls the motor452 which is also equipped with a built-in brake. to. control the cycle of operationof theshaft 3 1&'-through;ree duction gearing453. A series ofcontrolwcams 314 upon the shaft. 316 operate: theconstruction shown in Fig. 13 in timed relation.

The. tape ZBis shownbeing fed fromta roll 454, throughsuitable. tension rollers 455;.hence into the slot 218, defined in the fixedly supported guide slot 280. Obviously the tape 218:: maybe-fed; directly fromthe typewriter. andperforating mechanism into the composingandapro'of mechanism with theeliminationofany delay. The. feed =roll ers 214 and 216-act to -feed thetape 26=through the block 280, as-heretofore described. Fe'eler carriers 284 are shown: guided. iniways 456- 201 movement relative to the block 280sto-clear the feelers 282 from'the perforations in .the. tape 25;- Springs 4571 urge the carrier 284'tQW31dith6-b1OCk. 2 80 and the feelers 282 into the slot 218, while. a solenoid. 458-in circuit Mill-with the switch 434- functions-to. withdraw the feeler carrier 284 when the tape 26 is being moved. A normally opened.

' switch .462 in the circuit 4 64 bridges the switch.

434-to withdraw the carrier284' at the. time anew tape. 26 is manually fed into'themachine.

'I he solenoid 295 which controlsthetapedra-w ing relationof the rollers-214 and. 216 islocated in a circuit 468m whicha normally-open solenoid operated switch 4681s located. Thisswitch'is only closed when a current flows in the-circuit 4E6 energizing thesolenoid 458 to withdrawthe fceler carrier 284. Also,.in the'circuit 456- is a normally closed switch: 410 underthe'control of. the photo-electric cell unit 4-I2 which is. inturn controlled by the 'light'be'amof .the projector 414,- all-of known construction. A pivoted. shutter 476: isnormally held out of the path ofthe light beam of th projector 414by' a spring 488. Aisolenoid 45min the circuit.496 andunder the control of the switch 438 actediuponby theicam42fifunctions to momentarily'interrupt: theilight. beamof the projector" 414* by swinging thesliutter 4 16 counterclockwise: to initiate. the cycle: of opera-- tion. Itiis. tovbe'understoodthat the tape 26 passestbetween the projector fl t-and the cell 412 to normally interrupt the: light beam; Under such conditions, the-switch 410' isclosed andthe. tape 26 will be advanced by the rollers 214 and 216. When the tape26 has been suii'iciently advanced to bring the start of line perforation I13 intozthepath of the light beam of theprojector 414, thecircuit 466% isclosed by'theswitch 419 and the solenoid 295 is energized to act upon the roller 214 to interrupt the feeding of the tape 26. A motor 494' through suitable drive mechanism continuously rotates theshaft 283 to'rotate the feedroller 214.

In theabove apparatus the type bars 364 are tapered on both sides, but they can alternatively be tapered'on either side, or slightly curved on either or'both sides.

. structed to furnish proofs reading left to righton vice versa. It may readily be observed'that' the apparatus: illustrates a method applicable in many ways; and that changes in elevation, or construction in arcs instead of planes for the slides '300', links 306, and bars 304 may be effected.

In amodified form shown in Fig. 19 the above: methodand machine lend themselves to photocomposition. Enameled characters 4l5 replace relief type faces 336- on the composite type bars 304, and a camera 411 with a ratcheting film replaces the proving press. In use a roll of film is producedliaving characters in negative or positive form. and reading either way desired. ReferringtoEi'g. 19 the apparatus for preparing. lines is identical to that shown in Fig. 13 for letterpress: proving. In place of a platen pressv the camera and light source l5 coact to proveby photography. In the drawing, light is reflected:

by the white-images 415 within limits of dotted lines 25: through a shutter 2| and lens 23'to act upon a light sensitivefilm 21. The light source l5 has contacts Hand l9forming parts of a con tinuous circuit. The shutter 28 is actuated by a. lever 3'l1acted upon by a cam 33 on shaft 35 suit.- ably geared to shaft 316. The cam 33 also moves progressively the film 21 upon ratcheting spools 29.

An alternative method of proving is to. offset ink from composed line of type bars 304 after inking.v by a suitable method. The impressions are picked up by transfer rollers 42! such as that shown iniFigs. 18 and 20, having suitable surface 423, and applied to suitable materials, such as to paper or plate or both, with the rollerscatapulted across the type at rather high velocity. Register is maintained by gears 425 acting in corresponding gearing'i42l on a tract 429 to providevertical' alignment of the ends of successive lines as proved" and. a step-by-step feeding mechanism not shown: functions to progressively move the material receiving impressions. In a preferred form inkIis-distributed to type characters 33B by rollers identical to above described roller 421 and also: catapulted across the imposed characters. This adapts my method'to production of lithographic plates by use of a process resembling:

Use of this modification of theabove apparatus is facilitated by inversion of type bars 3fl4'andthe central part of the related hand' transfer.

Characters 336 may be conduce justified lines, comprising record sensing means and type members selectively positioned.

imder control thereof,'said type members being tapered and provided with characters distributed according to their widths and with spaces distributed to provide a range of sizes to produce said justified lines.

2. Apparatus for composing single consecutive lines of justified characters of various widths comprising a plurality of tapered character bars, selectively settable means, a stop with a connection to said bars for coaction with said settable means to determine the selective setting of the bars, said connection being so constructed as to permit slight longitudinal movement of the bars, and means located adjacent the impression lines for accurately aligning the selected characters.

3. An apparatus for composing single consecutive lines of justified characters of various widths, comprising a set of composite character and space bars of elongated tapered construction, characters and justifying Word spaces of varying widths spaced along said bars from one end to the other, said justifying word spaces being of different sizes and located at spaced points along each bar segregating groups of word characters, means for selectively moving said bars, means for supporting said bars for movement to dispose the selected characters and spaces in the plane of the composition line, lost motion means interposed between said bars and said bar moving means to permit slight longitudinal movement of said bars, and means located adjacent the impression line for accurately aligning the selected characters.

4. An apparatus for composing single consecutive lines of justified characters of various widths, a set of tapered type bars provided with characters distributed according to their width and the spaces distributed to provide a range of sizes to produce justified lines, drive means for said type bars including a cradle member; drive rolls supported in said cradle member and driven in opposite directions, and means for selectively- BYRON E. REYNOLDS. 

